kthorne@umich.edu
This is a large quilt, about 56 X 56. It hangs on my sewing room wall. 2004
There are more quilts to view, see sidebar for categories.
I wanted to do a fast and fun project. Loved the lilac colored fabric I used for each center. This is a variation on the beloved log cabin pattern, with varied width of strips, and with angled corner pieces in each major block. Used some of my ice-dyed fabric plus commercial prints. Easy to do. Now I want to do more quilts like this, in different colors. Like eating potato chips!!
And, a detail, ready for quilting with safety pins in place:
My calico cat, Lily, enjoys assisting me with sewing projects. Especially if I am laying out blocks on the floor to decide on the pattern I want. This picture of her helping (and many quilters with cats can relate) is a bit blurry but you get the idea. Then I have a photo of the entire final layout (Lily must be taking her afternoon nap). I stacked each row and labeled it for the stitching of the top.
Finally, there is a photo of the quilt being used as a “topper” on a bed with another larger quilt underneath. Good way to turn a single bed quilt into the star of the show on a larger bed. 🙂
Final Layout
Blocks ready for assembly:
At Marilyn’s house, with another quilt underneath.
This piece started as a sampler for a planned king-size bed. I made several samples, with different colors and layouts. Since this didn’t make the cut for the final large project, it and two other samples become art pieces. I’m still practicing my mid-arm quilting, and still un-sewing on almost every piece! The movement of the machine is sensitive to any interference such as extra pieces of fabric hanging off the back as you stitch, and upon encountering such interference it has a tendency to zoom in some direction that was not in my plan. ! So I have to learn how to watch more carefully for these potential hazards. I think it will be a long journey.
28″ X 38″
Detail:
I am making some pieces for the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild’s show this summer. I posted this one before it was quilted, a few weeks ago.
We always have a silent auction of quilts and fabric items for sale to the show visitors. Proceeds from the auction go to quilt show expenses and to Safehouse, the local domestic violence service. (If you want to pay full suggested price for any item, it is yours, you don’t have to bid and wait around!)
This piece is 17″ X 37″. I love stripes and use them often. And the quilting was done on my new mid-arm machine. I had to do a little “un-sewing” once or twice, I’m still learning on this machine. I have vowed to try to practice at least a half hour a day, although the gardening is now taking up a lot of time! Spring at last.
And a detail:
And a detail of the back:
My sister painted a wonderful landscape many years ago. I always loved the mood and color of this piece. I took a photo of it so that some day I might copy it in fabric. Just finished! I used my ice-dyed fabric. I don’t think the quilt does justice to the original, but it came out OK.
Sky detail:
My photo of the original painting:
I used all ice-dyed fabrics on this one. I started out doing some stripes. Didn’t know what to do with them, so I cut across the stripes to make a checkered effect. Decided these pieces would be good as “fillers” around some log cabin style blocks. (blue/yellow, green/navy, etc.) The border is a wonderful teal blue that I wanted to showcase. Quilted on my new mid-arm! (My skills are definitely improving with this machine, but much room for improvement.) The piece is 36 X 36″.
Detail, with signature:
I saw a similar one recently and decided it would be fun to cut, sew, and arrange these “free form” wonky diamonds. My quilting on this was started on my sewing machine, then when I got a new mid-arm quilting machine I finished the work there. My quilting on that part was definitely “rough”! Need to keep practicing. It’s about 63″ X 63″.
Detail:
